The Ultimate Guide to Better Putting: Stop 3-Putting Today

You don’t need to change your whole putting stroke. You don’t need a $400 putter. You don’t even need to “believe in yourself” harder.

If you’re tired of 3-putting greens and quietly seething while your buddies tap in for par, here’s the real truth: better putting is about stacking a few small, smart habits — not pulling off miracles.

This guide isn’t promising a magic fix.

It’s about simple, doable tweaks you can start using today to make 3-putts the rare exception — not the rule.

Let’s dive in.

Posture and Setup: Where It All Starts

You know that feeling when something just feels off before you even swing? Same deal with putting.

Standing tall but relaxed, with your weight centered over your ankles, slight knee flex, and a bend from the hips (not your back) lets your arms swing freely. It’s like giving your stroke room to breathe.

One more thing: get your eyes over the ball and your shoulders parallel to your target line.

It sounds boring.

It wins strokes.

The Secret Sauce: Consistent Stroke and Tempo

You can’t “muscle” your way into better putting.

Distance control isn’t about smashing short putts or babying long ones — it’s about keeping your stroke rhythm the same and adjusting how far you take the putter back. Think smooth, pendulum-like motion.

If you want something even simpler? Try the “straight back, straight through” stroke. Minimal moving parts. Maximum reliability.

Green Reading and Believing Your Line

Most missed putts don’t happen because your stroke is terrible. They happen because you picked the wrong line — or didn’t trust it.

Slow down. Look at the slope. Imagine the ball’s path. Pick your line — and then trust it. Second-guessing mid-stroke is a killer.

A confident miss is better than a tentative jab every single time.

Practice Drills That Actually Work

You don’t need to spend four hours on the practice green. You just need a few smart reps.

Breaking Putt Drill:
Place six balls along a curve where the putt will break. Start close to the hole and work back. You’ll literally teach your eyes and hands how the slope changes the ball’s path.

Push Ball Drill (for short putts):
Set a ball two feet from the hole. No backswing. Just use your shoulders to push the ball in. This locks in a square face at impact and cuts down sidespin (aka the enemy of short putts).

Distance Control Ladder:
Set up targets at different distances. Keep your stroke tempo identical — only change how far back you take the putter. You’ll start to feel distances instead of guessing.

If you want to geek out on more drills, Golf Monthly’s putting drill guide has a few excellent ones to steal.

Mental Game: The Quiet MVP

Good putting isn’t just physical — it’s mental.

You need a pre-putt routine that calms your nerves and locks you into the task. (Not thinking about the triple you made on the last hole.)

Picture the putt. Trust your read. Execute.
Simple? Yes.
Easy? No.
Worth practicing? Absolutely.

Common 3-Putting Mistakes (You’re Probably Making One)

• Poor Posture:
  Hunched over like a gargoyle? Inconsistent strikes incoming.
• Bad Alignment:
  If your eyes and shoulders aren’t lined up with your target, good luck getting the ball to start on line.
• Wild Tempo Changes:
  Hitting harder on long putts and babying short ones? Welcome to Chaos Town.
• Rushing:
  If you don’t take the time to read the green and commit, you’re basically rolling the dice.

(And no, muttering “I just need to trust my stroke” after the miss doesn’t fix any of these.)

Quick Steps You Can Start Today

• Check your posture and alignment before every single putt.
• Lock in a steady, repeatable routine.
• Drill your distance control — especially on long putts.
• Trust your green reads, even when they feel weird.
• Focus on stroke length, not force, to control distance.

Stack these little wins, and suddenly, you’re tapping in for par (or even the occasional birdie) way more often.

Because at the end of the day, better putting isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being just good enough, just often enough, to stop giving shots away.

Let’s make those 3-putts a story you tell other people about — not the one you keep living.